GTA Rollergirls to start Daytime Derby league

GTA Rollergirls to start Daytime Derby league

Four wheels, fishnet stockings, and fresh meat, brought to Toronto’s east end by GTA Rollergirls.

The Rollergirls are starting a daytime league – The Toronto Sirens – on January 28 at Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre for those women who want to strap on a helmet, elbow and kneepads, and roller skates, but can’t make it in evening hours.

“We’re the first group in Toronto that’s ever done a daytime derby, so we thought there might be an interest and we’re giving it a go,” said Dara Douma, the GTA Rollergirl who is leading the daytime league.

Douma is a firefighter from the Beach who started playing roller derby just over a year ago. Her odd hours for shift work left her wishing there was a league during the day, so she’s starting one instead.

“Any other sport you can play in the day,” said Douma, known as ‘Triple D Stroyer’ to her teammates. “You can join a hockey team, you can join a curling team, there’s lots of stuff but there’s no derby.”

Practices will take place on Mondays from 12 to 1 p.m. for an eight-week trial period to see how much interest there is. It will act as a farm team for the evening league, which travels to bouts in Canada and the U.S., said Douma.

Each session is $10, or $70 for eight sessions. It will be run like one of their ‘Fresh Meat’ programs, where the girls will learn a new skill set at each practice, said Douma.

“Training was really intense, your body just isn’t conditioned,” said Stacey Canfield, who finished the ‘Fresh Meat’ evening training program in December.

“It was always something really exciting that we were going to learn how to do, like we would learn how to jump, or weave,” said Canfield, also known as ‘Wookie Monster’ on the rink.

Canfield travels an hour from Milton two or three times a week to the Derby evening practices at Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School on Bloor West to be a part of the league.

“I thought roller derby was supposed to be for really tough-looking girls with lots of tattoos,” said Canfield. “That’s not the case.”

GTA Rollergirls invites women of all ages, sizes, and skating levels to join the daytime league.

“What I love about this league is how very inclusive and fun it is,” said Douma. “Everyone has a place on the team.”

For more info email daradouma@hotmail.com or visit http://www.gtarollergirls.com